What is Instatus?
Instatus is a status page platform that has expanded into uptime monitoring. While they offer beautiful status pages, their monitoring features came later and monitoring is limited by plan tiers with arbitrary limits on monitors and team members.
What is OnlineOrNot?
OnlineOrNot helps software teams monitor their websites, APIs, and cron jobs with 30-second checks from multiple global locations. When something goes wrong, you get alerted via Email, SMS, Slack, Discord, PagerDuty, or webhooks.
Every check runs from multiple locations before alerting, eliminating false positives. You get fast detection without the noise that plagues other monitoring tools.
Status pages are included on all paid plans, letting you keep customers informed during incidents. And when you need help, you email the founder directly - no ticket systems or tiered support.
Here's why teams switch from Instatus to OnlineOrNot:
1. Monitoring is an afterthought
Instatus started as a status page tool and added monitoring later. OnlineOrNot was built monitoring-first from day one, with status pages as a natural complement to real uptime data.
2. Slow checks on free and trial plans
Instatus only offers 2-minute check intervals until you pay for a Pro plan. OnlineOrNot gives you 30-second checks during your free trial - catch issues faster from the start.
3. Arbitrary monitor limits
Instatus limits you to 15 monitors on Free, 50 on Pro, 200 on Business. OnlineOrNot uses simple per-check pricing - monitor exactly what you need without hitting arbitrary limits.
Compare Instatus vs OnlineOrNot
| Feature | Instatus | OnlineOrNot |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Status pages first | Monitoring first |
| Check frequency (trial) | 2 minutes | 30 seconds |
| Check frequency (paid) | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Pricing model | Per-seat + monitor limits | Simple $2/check/month |
| Monitor limits | 15-1,000 (plan dependent) | Unlimited (pay per check) |
| Multi-location checks | Yes | 7 global regions |
| Status pages | Yes (primary focus) | Included on all paid plans |
| Custom domains | Paid plans only | All plans |
| Cron job monitoring | Limited | Built-in heartbeat monitoring |
| API monitoring | Basic | Full API validation |
| Support | Tiered by plan | Direct founder access |
How OnlineOrNot improves reliability
Built for speed
30-second checks mean you catch issues 2x faster than tools with 60-second minimums. Multi-location verification eliminates false positives while maintaining fast detection. You get instant notifications via Slack, Discord, PagerDuty, SMS, or email.
Complete monitoring in one place
Monitor websites, APIs, cron jobs, and heartbeats from one dashboard. No need to piece together multiple tools or pay for features separately. SSL certificate expiry tracking is included on every check.
Status pages included
Keep your customers informed with beautiful, customizable status pages. Hosted on your domain with your branding, included on all paid plans. Subscribers get automatic notifications when incidents are created or resolved.
Direct founder support
When you need help, you email the founder directly. No ticket systems, no tiered support levels, no waiting days for a response. Most questions get answered within hours.
The migration process
Here's a proven process for successfully migrating to OnlineOrNot:
1. Sign up for free
Create your OnlineOrNot account with a 14-day free trial. No credit card required. Explore the dashboard and see how it works.
2. Add your critical monitors
Start with your most important endpoints. Add a handful of uptime checks for your core URLs, APIs, and any cron jobs you need to track.
3. Run in parallel
Run OnlineOrNot alongside your current tool for 1-2 weeks. Compare alert quality, response times, and overall experience.
4. Migrate fully
Once you're confident, move all your monitors to OnlineOrNot. Our team offers white-glove migration support - just email the founder directly.
5. Decommission the old tool
Cancel your old monitoring subscription. You'll likely save money while getting faster, more reliable monitoring.
Need to pitch OnlineOrNot to your bosses?
Here are the key points to help you get stakeholder buy-in:
"We'll catch issues before customers report them"
30-second monitoring means we detect outages 2x faster than most alternatives. Multi-location verification ensures we only get real alerts, not false positives.
"We're going to save money"
OnlineOrNot's transparent per-check pricing is often cheaper than per-monitor or tiered pricing models. No surprise overages or hidden fees.
"We get everything we need in one tool"
Uptime monitoring, cron job tracking, API monitoring, and status pages all in one place. No need to manage multiple subscriptions or piece together different tools.
"We can actually get support when we need it"
Direct access to the founder via email. No ticket systems, no tiered support, no waiting days for a response.